Assar Lindbeck has made a significant impact on modern economic thought in the course of a long and distinguished career. Macroeconomics and Economic Policy offers a remarkable insight into the development of Professor Lindbeck’s thought, illustrating how his own extensive experience of economic policy making in Sweden led him to form his current opinions.

The volume is divided into three parts. The first part concentrates on macroeconomic instability and stabilization policy, including recent essays on unemployment theory and the labour markets alongside some of his most important earlier work. The second part addresses the problems of international interdependence and endogenous policy, focusing on a growing world economy and looking at possible areas of conflict. The third part examines the problems and practicalities of achieving successful economic growth, with a particular emphasis on the Western economies


The Welfare State

by Assar Lindbeck

Published 1 January 1993
Assar Lindbeck has made a significant impact on modern economic thought in the course of a long and distinguished career. This volume features some of the important essays and papers that are the product of Professor Lindbeck’s long interest in Welfare State issues.

The Welfare State is divided into three parts, the first of which examines the driving forces behind the welfare state, how it has emerged and the redistributional policies it employs. Part two looks at the economic consequences of the welfare state, the effect on work and savings and on the division of labour among markets, government and family. Part three examines the broader consequences for society of the modern welfare state, suggesting that the burgeoning public sector not only alters economic incentives and the distribution of income and wealth, it also changes the role of the family, influences freedom of choice and makes honesty more ‘expensive’. This part concludes with a discussion of the role of public spending and taxation policies in developing countries.

This volume includes an extensive introduction by Professor Lindbeck. Macroeconomics and Economic Policy, the first of Professor Lindbeck's selected essays is also available.


This is a two-volume set on macroeconomics, economic policy and the welfare state. The first volume covers the development of the author's thought, illustrated with his experience of economic policy-making in Sweden. The second volume examines the driving forces behind the welfare state.